Paint and coating formulations are ubiquitous in today's societies. They are used on a wide variety of surfaces, for instance, metal, wood, plastics, brick, wallboard, etc., and for many functions, such as surface protection from chemical and/or physical hazards, for decoration, waterproofing, and the like.
Paints and coatings are typically composed of a binder material, a carrier or solvent, together with various other additives. The other additives may include, for instance, neutralizers, antimicrobials, pigments, uv absorbers, etc. The binders provide a network in which the other additives are dispersed and suspended. Binders also function as the primary film forming component of the finished coating, provide integrity and adhesion for the coated film and overall protect the substrate from the external environment. Generally, there are two classes of binders: latex binders, which are used in aqueous based formulations, and alkyd-based binders, which are used in non-aqueous formulations, ultimately resulting in latex paints and coatings and alkyd paints and coatings, respectively.
Aqueous based paints and coatings use water as the main carrier instead of an organic solvent. As a result, they are generally lower volatile organic content (VOC) materials and are therefore favored in some applications and regions where low VOC is desired or required. Aqueous based paints and coatings, however, may not provide the equivalent properties to their alkyd based counterparts. For instance, they may not provide equivalent protection against chemical or physical hazards, or as good adhesion to the substrate. Consequently, a continuing need exists to discover ways for improving the properties of aqueous based paints and coatings.
The problem addressed by this invention is the provision of binder compositions for use, for example, in aqueous based paints and coatings that provide improved properties over previous systems including, for instance, improved hardness and/or chemical resistance.